Unusual MR presentation of occult spinal dysraphism with lumbosacral lipoma and dermoid cyst

Abstract

Case report: We describe a case with tethered cord syndrome due to the association of intradural lipoma and a dermoid cyst at the filum terminale that had an unusual magnetic resonance (MR) appearance.

Discussion: Although both pathologies usually demonstrate a similar intensity on MR images, the involvement of a capsule filled with hair in the dermoid cyst, which presented hypointensity, may be a clue to be differentiated from lipoma on preoperative MR images.